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Crenshaw, Saints Make Franchise History In 4-0 Victory

ST. PAUL, MNAugust 16, 2015

CRENSHAW, SAINTS MAKE FRANCHISE HISTORY IN 4-0 VICTORY

JOPLIN, MO (August 16, 2015) – The St. Paul Saints may not be playing for a playoff position anymore, having already clinched the North Division, but they are playing for the most historic season in franchise history. Dustin Crenshaw, on the other hand, is trying to have the single greatest pitching year in club history. Both happened on Sunday evening as Crenshaw hurled a complete game six-hit shutout as the Saints beat the Joplin Blasters 4-0 for their franchise tying 61st victory, tying the 2004 team.

With the win by Crenshaw he sets a franchise record with his 13th victory, surpassing five other pitchers in the 22-year history of the Saints. His fifth complete game ties Mark Hamburger’s 2013 record and his third shutout breaks the franchise record. He threw 99 pitches, an amazing 78 for strikes.

The only times he ran into trouble he was able to make the pitches to get out of jams. In the fourth Crenshaw gave up back-to-back one out singles to Steven Tinoco and Maikel Gonzalez that put runners on the corners. Crenshaw would strike out Jake Taylor and get Carlos Ramirez to fly out to end the inning.

In the fifth Jairo Perez led off with a double. A groundout by Omar Luna moved Perez to third. Crenshaw would get Jesus Solorzano to line out to third and Joe Coyne to ground out to first to end the inning.

His final small jam came in the seventh when Crenshaw gave up back-to-back two out singles to Perez and Luna, but got Solorzano to pop out to third to end the inning.

The Saints got Crenshaw all the run support he needed in the second when Angelo Songco singled to right-center. Ryan Lashley singled him to third. Joey Paciorek then blasted a three-run homer to left, his fourth of the season, to make it 3-0.

The Saints would tack on an insurance run in the ninth when Angelo Songco walked. He was sacrificed to second by Lashley. With two outs Steve Nikorak walked to put runners at first and second. Anthony Phillips then hit a grounder to the right of second baseman Gonzalez, he dove and the ball went off his glove, for an error, into right-center scoring Songco.

The Saints have Monday off and are back home on Tuesday night at CHS Field to begin a three game series against the Sioux City Explorers at 7:05 p.m. The Saints send LHP Kramer Sneed (12-2, 2.94) to the mound against Explorers LHP Ryan Strufing (1-2, 3.71). It is Star Wars Night presented by AARP. The game can be seen on the Saints Cable Network, heard on Club 1220 KLBB and in the ballpark on 97.9 FM.